Step by Step

1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will, writing down each detail cited in the indexed entry.

2. Proceed then to the "Probate Records of This Court" section (see below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court.

3. Contact or visit the Borthwick Institute of Historical Research (see address below), or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf, citing information obtained from the index[es]. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.

4. You can also visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes (see the Family History Library's cataloged entries providing the microfilms so you can have them circulated to the center near you for searching the wills). The information obtained from the index[es] will help you more quickly search the wills and admons which can also be viewed on microfilm in a family history center..

Indexes

Surviving wills and admons to the Court of the Chancery of the Archbishop of York probate records have to some extent been indexed with the following ones:

Printed and Published Indexes

Index of Original Wills for the Court of the Chancery of the Archbishop of York, A.D. 1427-1858 containing original wills, administrations from 1316-1822, in the Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series volume 93.

Online Indexes

Indexes to Yorkshire wills are beginning to come online. Yorkshire will indexes online are only available at britishorigins for the following years:

Medieval Probate Index - 1267- 1500

Peculiar Courts Probate Index - 1383-1883

Exchequer and Prerogative Courts of the Archbishop of York - 1842-1858

Original Handwritten Indexes

Manuscript indexes exist from 1438-1728 and, 1650-1858.

Index of Original Wills and Administrations 1660-1724; 1731-1745; 1808-1858

Jurisdiction

This court's jurisdiction applies to persons with bona notabilia (property and effects) in more than one diocese within the northern Province of York, which includes all of the dioceses of York, Carlisle, Chester, Sodor and Man (Isle of Man), Durham and Lancaster.

The Court of the Chancery of the Archbishop of York diealt with appeals from the lower courts from York, and the dioceses of Lancaster, Chester, Durham and Sodor and Man (Isle of Man). When a search of this courts’ probate records fails to provide the desired probate record, be sure to search the Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of York as well.